Eschweilera tessmannii R.Knuth

  • Authority

    Mori, S. A. & Prance, Ghillean T. 1990. Lecythidaceae - Part II: The zygomorphic-flowered New World genera (Couroupita, Corythophora, Bertholletia, Couratari, Eschweilera, & Lecythis). With a study of secondary xylem of Neotropical Lecythidaceae by Carl de Zeeuw. Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 21: 1-376. (Published by NYBG Press)

  • Family

    Lecythidaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Eschweilera tessmannii R.Knuth

  • Type

    Peru. Loreto: Mouth of Río Santiago, 1924 (fl), Tessmann 4691 (holotype, B, not found; lectotype, NY, here designated; isolectotype, INPA).

  • Description

    Description - Small to medium sized trees, to 20 m tall. Leaf blades elliptic, 8-11 x 3.5-4.5 cm, glabrous, without punctae, chartaceous, with 7-9 pairs of lateral veins; apex acute to short acuminate; base acute to obtuse; petiole 11-12 mm long, the blade very narrowly decurrent. Inflorescences terminal or in axils of uppermost leaves, unbranched or once-branched, the principal rachis 2-14 cm long, ferrugineous pubescent, the pedicel 5-7 mm long, ferrugineous pubescent. Flowers 1.5-3 cm diam.; calyx with six lobes, the lobes widely to very widely ovate, 4-6.5 x 2.5-5 mm, ascending to erect, imbricate at very base, convex to slightly carinate abaxially, especially toward base; petals six, widely obovate, 7-18 x 7-11 mm, usually light yellow, sometimes white; hood of androecium ca. 10-15 x 8-15 mm, with distinct double coil, yellow, staminal ring asymmetric, with (151-) 200-276 stamens, the filaments 1.2-1.5 mm long, not clavate, the anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long; hypanthium ferrugineous pubescent, abruptly constricted into well defined pedicel; ovary 2-locular, with 8-11 ovules attached to base of locule, the style well differentiated, geniculate 1.52 mm long. Fruits globose, 2-3.5 x 3.5-4.5 cm, the calycine ring enlarged, conspicuous, the supracalycine zone abruptly tapered inwards, ca. 6 mm wide, the infracalycine zone rounded to base; operculum nearly flat, with rounded umbo.

  • Discussion

    Eschweilera tessmannii is distinguished by its relatively small flowers and leaves; ferrugineous pubescent axes of the inflorescence, pedicels, and hypanthia; and relatively long, geniculate style.

    The summit of the ovary is elevated for 0.50.8 mm above the attachment of the sepals, petals, and stamens, but the style, which bends toward the anterior end of the flower near its middle, is well differentiated from the summit of the ovary.

  • Common Names

    Ripeiro, ripeiro Vermelho, Machimango, machimango colorado

  • Distribution

    Eschweilera tessmannii is a small to medium sized tree of non-flooded forests of central and western Amazonia. The apparent disjunction of the two populations is probably an artifact of collection. This species flowers from Aug to Nov.

    Peru South America| Loreto Peru South America| Brazil South America| Amazonas Brazil South America| Rondônia Brazil South America|